Papow Ponders #6: Ignoring Politics

Oh how the world is changing! As am I actually.With the way that global events have been evolving, I initially wanted to bury my head in the sand. I set out to create my own safe bubble: I turned off the news, stopped reading newspapers, asked my family to stop discussing current events around me and put my focus on blogging and my teaching. Ignorance was bliss – but only for short time.

I guess it’s like ignoring a dead lightbulb until you bump into something at night or ignoring a sore tooth until the pain becomes so unbearable you feel like you’ll pass out. The world catches up with you and, if you’re not careful, it can hit you hard.

For me, it began with my class. I spend most of my time at work and I like to know what’s important to my children. From Brexit to Trump, they discuss it all. I have to engage with them about it because it’s on their radar – they have thoughts and concerns. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I ignored them.

Then it moved to money, we had to consider what the pound and the dollar were up to in preparation for our Viva trip – something I’d never really considered before. What was far more concerning was seeing the struggles of families in a time of cuts and unsympathetic policies.

Next, global matters started to hit people’s livelihoods. I know friends and others in the pin-up community who are leaving the UK – not because they want to, but because of changes to their funding, the current political climate or just the general atmosphere post-Trump and post-Brexit.

Finally, I have felt the events of the past few months hit me in a way I never thought it could. I have stopped feeling safe in the world – my bubble has well and truly burst. I am fearful of how I will be treated because of the colour of my skin and my gender. I often wonder whether my views will be seen as ridiculous because I am not part of a majority. I can see the world turning into some pre-1939 nightmare and I am scared of what the future might hold.

What does all of this mean then? Personally, it means I can no longer bury my head in the sand – I must do my best to fight my fears and face the world head on. With regards to the pin-up community (and any other subculture community for that matter), maybe instead of trying to ignore these issues and the people who raise them, we should instead try to work together to make this world the best we can in the face of adversity.

To quote one of my favourite German sayings, “You can break a finger but you can’t break a fist!”

My next steps:

I will continue to write and speak on this subject, working with others when I can.